p..p..p..pick up a penguin (and whale watching)

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So we have made it into (Northern) Patagonia (this was one of the areas I was secretly most excitied about...). Can definitally tell that we have arrived in this climatically challenged part of the world as the winds down here are incredible. (Apparently its just something we are going to have to get used to over the next month).

So the main reason for visitng this area is for all the abundance of wildlife close to here. Peninsula Valdes is close by which is home to Nañdus, Llamas, elephant seals, penguins, dolphins etc.... but the star attraction around here are the Southern Right Wales which can be spotted in Peninsula Valdes at this time of year. The whale watching tour was pretty spectacular - loads of mums with their calves (calves were especially playful - splashing about all over). All so close to the boat too, very very sweet.

The other reason for visiting here was to visit another nearby reserve called Punta Tombo. In this area, at this time of year, half a million penguins gather here for breeding (its the largest penguin colony outside of Antartica). As San is a bit of a sucker for pengins this was an unmissable opportunity. We arrived at the visitors centre and before we could even get into the reserve we nearly tripped over a couple of penguins who were taking a stroll in the car park. There were loads of them just everywhere, both inside the reserve and the whole way leading up to it. The penguins are so close by all the time, either peering back at us or just having a little strolls with their mates - so cute! Mostly at the minute they were in their nests keeping their eggs warm (impressively the penguins return every year to the same nest and always find their own amoung the 500,000 other nests which are about).

Another amazing animal life exhibited in Puerto Madryn was the dog who roof surfed on the car (see video). Had us in stitches anyway!

On a stroll on the beach in Puerto Madryn we came across a Welsh flag. Very odd. There is Welsh colony nearby where they still speak Welsh and you can eat Welsh cakes etc. (Is it a coincidence that the Welsh ended up near whales or was there some kind of historic misunderstanding).

Brilliant hotel (Hi! Patagonia) with lovely host Gaston and excellent BBQ on the last night there. Mmmmmm, Argentinian meat....

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